URJ Responds to Accusations Reportedly Made By Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

URJ Responds to Accusations Reportedly Made By Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

New York, NY; June 23, 2016 -- Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs issued the following statement reacting to reports of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' invocation of the classic anti-Semitic canard of water poisoning:

It is deplorable that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly engaged in spreading libelous accusations against Israeli rabbis in his remarks to the European parliament today. This persistent lie dates back thousands of years and is no more true today than it was in medieval ages.

By reaffirming defamations based on proven falsehoods, he diverts from the path toward peaceful negotiations. We call on President Abbas to unequivocally revoke this allegation and clarify that the PA denounces anti-Semitic speech and actions.

As we work toward the shared goal of two states for two people living in lasting peace, all parties must rise above hateful, racist words that serve no purpose but to incite and inflame.

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